


Take Me To Church

by adamkenyonstie



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Alec Hardy - Freeform, Alec Hardy Needs A Hug, Alec Hardy Whump, Alec Hardy and His Broken Heart, Alec Hardy and Paul Coates, Bisexual Alec Hardy, Broadchurch - Freeform, Broadchurch Spoilers, Cold Weather, First Kiss, Friendship, Gen, I just love them, Implied Relationships, M/M, More Than Tea, No Smut, Paul Coates - Freeform, Sad with a Happy Ending, Song: Take Me To Church (Hozier), Tea, Tea in the Church, The Detective and the Vicar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:01:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22851418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adamkenyonstie/pseuds/adamkenyonstie
Summary: Alec Hardy is tired and a little bit sad if he's being honest. His tea has gone cold. What is wrong with him? Luckily, someone comes out of the blue to keep him company.
Relationships: Paul Coates & Alec Hardy, Paul Coates/Alec Hardy
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

Alec Hardy felt empty. He felt numb and broken, and he didn't know why. It wasn't like it was a particularly hard day at the station, but he just couldn't explain it. He watched his trembling hands clutch a cup of tea that went cold quite a while ago. His legs had gone dead as he sat on the steps up to the police station, in the dark and on his own.

Everyone else had gone home already. They were cheerful while leaving for the weekend, while he was drowning. In what, he had no idea. He just felt blank. Ellie gave him a big smile on her way past his office, saying, "don't stay for too long, Hardy," both of them knowing all too well that he would indeed, stay for too long.

It was way too cold for his liking, his thin jacket offering little warm in the light breeze that was just loud enough to drown out the dreadful sound of the waves.

He took in a trembling breath, put down the cup of cold tea and wrung his hands together, in a shoddy attempt to stop them from shaking so much. Work was quiet too. After recently wrapping up the Winterman case, and court dates set, the most dramatic thing that had happened was a fight that had broken out over someone using their neighbours' bins instead of their own.

Again, Hardy questioned himself on why he was feeling like this. Maybe he was just tired, in need of a hot cup of tea and a good sleep. Maybe, he just wanted someone to talk to.

He sighed, and stood up on wobbly legs, that he couldn't feel, and waited for the light-handedness to pass, before slowly picking his way up the stairs.  
"Alright there, DI Hardy?" A familiar voice called behind him. Paul, the vicar was standing at the bottom of the steps when he turned around.

"I don't know." Hardy answered truthfully. He scrubbed a hand down his face and rubbed his eyes.  
"I don't know." He repeated, his brain too muddled to think properly.

Paul breathed in, and came up the steps to meet him. "How about we go get some tea?" Paul offered, cautiously.  
"Why do you want to get tea with me?" Hardy asked, irritation lacing his words.  
"You look like you need someone to talk to." Paul stated, his voice softer now.  
"Its half 11, no where's open." Hardy replied simply, making his way back down the stairs, with the intentions of finally going home.

He didn't understand why Paul was even talking to him, let alone offering to get tea with him. The two didn't get on at the best of times, what with the their opposing views on the church and God. While Paul was loyal to God, Hardy was loyal to not having anything to do with Him. But now Hardy didn't know what he wanted. To be alone or to have some much needed company with the reverend. Being honest, they had gone on one or too late night walks when Paul was kept up with his insomnia or Hardy was plagued by his nightmares, but still, he was conflicted.

"The church is open." Paul said, snapping Hardy out of his thoughts. It was more a question than a statement, like he was aware of what he was implying.  
Hardy shoved his hands deep into his pockets to avoid the biting chill in the air.  
"I think I'd burn if I step foot in the church." Hardy answered quietly.  
Paul shuffled his feet, and cleared his throat. He smiled, almost anxiously.

"We can burn together then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly I have no idea what this is but I quite like the idea of Paul and Alec. I too am sad, tired and fairly gay so thats what inspired this hahah. It can be read either as two bros or the beginning of their relationship, I guess, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the tea, Hardy visiting Paul becomes more regular, allowing.. feelings to blossom.

Alec found himself making the journey up to the church at 2 o’clock in the morning. He didn’t know why, and he could barely remember leaving his house to get here. He was beyond exhausted but couldn’t get to sleep, no matter how hard he tried. After making multiple cups of tea that all went cold, he grabbed his jacket and went on a walk instead. Heading towards the cliff eventually turned into going to the church instead. He hoped Paul would still be up. Otherwise what was the point of this.

He knocked lightly on the door before going in. It seemed deathly silent but there was still a warm glow to the big stone room.  
“Hardy, always nice to see you.” A familiar voice called. It was Paul, sitting on one of the alter steps. Hardy nodded, and walked towards the vicar. Ever since Paul had invited him for tea the week before, going to the church to see him had become a regular occurrence. Hardy was glad about that.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Paul asked, standing up. Again, Hardy just nodded. “Me either. Though that’s not surprising.” He added.  
“A walk?” Hardy said simply. This time, Paul nodded. The two left the church side by side. Most of the time, they walked in complete silence, enjoying the comfortable company the other provided. Other times, they had light conversations that just seemed to come natural to them, or bicker over things that only they could bicker over. It was a perfectly unconventional friendship.

Hardy followed Paul through their usual path behind the church, up the hill and out onto the cliffs. There was a faint breeze that sent their hair in all directions but thankfully drowned out the sounds of the waves below. Hardy watched the vicar in front of him. There was something endearing about the man. He always felt so relaxed around him, like he could be himself. Even just thinking about him made Hardy smile. There were some nights he would lie in bed thinking about spending every day with him, even the rest of his life with him. No one made him feel as happy or as safe as Paul did. He felt like a teenager again having a crush like this. But he always snapped himself out of these daydreams. Paul would have no interest in him, another man? He had to stop kidding himself. The whole catholic thing meant there was little to no chance he was open to being with a man. Hardy knew he shouldn’t be thinking like this about Paul either. It was wrong. He was a fool to have a mindset like this. After all, he did not deserve someone as amazing as Paul. A distant voice pulled him from his mind. 

“Everything ok there, Hardy?” Paul asked softly. They had stopped at a bench, where Paul was now sitting. The cooler air up on the cliffs seemed to snap Hardy back into reality.  
“Yeah, yeah, sorry about that.” He mumbled, sitting down next to the vicar. They sat in silence, but Hardy’s mind was racing. He saw Paul out of the corner of his eye, gazing out to the horizon. He had an unbelievable urge to kiss the man, but knew that would have disastrous consequences. He did not want to destroy the friendship the two had struggled so hard to build. He noticed the muscles in Paul’s jaw jump as he looked like he was going to say something.

“The church keep trying to kick me out.” He admitted, after a pause. Hardy didn’t say anything, but the reverend was used to one-sided conversations with the detective.  
“Seemingly, I’m an abomination to Christianity.” Paul added, tugging at a thread from his jumper.  
“Why would they say something like that?” Hardy asked.  
“Being attracted to anyone that isn’t the opposite gender is not a good look in the eyes of the church" Paul admitted. “Yeah, I’ve noticed.” Hardy said.  
“I don’t think I want to hide it anymore. I’d rather leave than be someone I’m not.” Paul mumbled, letting his eyes fall on Hardy’s. The striking green of them seemed to take over his soul and he felt like he was in a trance. He swallowed and cleared his throat.

The silence that followed was awkward. Hardy wasn’t used to it with Paul, he didn’t like it. He heard a shift beside him, and tensed slightly.  
“Alec.” Paul uttered so softly that it sent a shiver down his spine. He turned his head to face the man just as Paul’s hand rose up to rest on his cheek. It must have been an old reflex engrained in him as Hardy flinched away from the movement, so Paul went slower. It took everything in him to maintain eye contact and not slink away at this moment. He wanted this. He felt his eyes slide close as Paul pulls him into a chaste kiss. It was quick, leaving him wanting more. Paul leaned back slightly, and smiled. Hardy smiled back before pulling him in again. This time, the kiss lasted longer. Hardy could feel his heart beating out of his chest and thought for a second that his pacemaker wouldn’t do its job. But it was soft, it was sweet and it was everything. He broke the kiss, and let out a laugh.

“It’s getting late.” Paul stated, unable to wipe the smirk off his face. Hardy gave him a strange look, before answering.  
“Walk me home then?” He asked, standing up and holding his hand out to the vicar. Paul nodded, and followed the detective.  
“So how long have you wanted to that, then?” Paul teased.  
Hardy laughed. “Shut up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is horrifically short and it's cringe and bad but I have honestly just fallen in love with the idea of the two of them falling in love. This was more just for fun than anything else so I hope you liked it :)
> 
> And yes, there is some shade in there against the catholic church and their homophobia oops


End file.
